THE PRESENT - After her mother’s death, Emilie de la Martiniéres finds herself the sole inheritor of a chateau in the south of France. There she discovers an old notebook which leads her along a journey to unravel the tragic love story of the mysterious Sophia. THE PAST (1943). Constance Carruthers, arrives in occupied Paris at the height of conflict. There she stumbles into the heart of a wealthy family and is drawn into a web of deception, the repercussions of which will affect generations to come.

The Girl on the Cliff

Troubled by recent loss, Grania Ryan has returned to Ireland and the arms of her loving family. It is here, on a cliff edge, that she first meets a young girl, Aurora. Strangely drawn to Aurora, Grania discovers that their families are deeply entwined. From a bittersweet romance in wartime London to a troubled relationship in contemporary New York, the Ryans and the Lisles have been entangled for a century.

The Seven Sisters

Maia D'Apliése and her five sisters were all adopted as babies. When their father dies each of them are given a clue to their true heritage - a clue which takes Maia across the world… Rio de Janeiro, 1927, Izabela Bonifacio convinces her father to allow her to accompany him to Europe. There, in the heady, vibrant cafés of Montparnasse, she meets ambitious young sculptor Laurent Brouilly, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again…

The Midnight Rose

In the heyday of the British Raj, Anahita becomes Princess Indira’s official companion, and accompanies her to England just before the outbreak of the Great War. There, she meets the young Donald Astbury – reluctant heir to a magnificent, estate – and his scheming mother. Eighty years later, Rebecca Bradley, a young American film star, has the world at her feet. Her latest role, playing a 1920s debutante, takes her to the now-crumbling Astbury Hall…

Hothouse Flower

As a child, Julia Forrester spent many idyllic hours in the hothouse of Wharton Park estate, where her grandfather tended the exotic flowers. So when a family tragedy strikes, Julia returns to the tranquility of Wharton Park and its hothouse. Recently inherited by charismatic Kit Crawford, the estate is undergoing renovation. This leads to the discovery of an old diary, prompting the pair to seek out Julia's grandmother to learn the truth behind a love affair that almost destroyed Wharton Park.

Amy Snow

Winner of the 2014 Richard & Judy Search for a Bestseller competition. Abandoned on a bank of snow as a baby, Amy is taken in at nearby Hatville Court. But the masters and servants of the grand estate prove cold and unwelcoming. Amy's only friend and ally is the sparkling young heiress Aurelia Vennaway. So when Aurelia tragically dies young, Amy is devastated. But Aurelia leaves Amy one last gift. A bundle of letters with a coded key. A treasure hunt that only Amy can follow. A life-changing discovery awaits ... if only she can unlock the secret.

The Italian Girl

Rosanna Menici is just a girl when she meets Roberto Rossini, the man who will change her life. In the years to come, their destinies are bound together by their extraordinary talents as opera singers and by their enduring but obsessive love for each other - a love that will ultimately affect the lives of those closest to them. For, as Rosanna slowly discovers, their unison is haunted by irreversible events from the past.

The Postcard

2002, Australia. When Melissa discovers a postcard addressed to 'Desmond' among her recently deceased father's effects, she is determined to discover this person's identity and his relationship to her father. She soon embarks on a journey that will take her across oceans and into the past...

Duet

From the London pop scene, to the opera stages of Europe; from a tiny Greek island, to a stifling manor house full of secrets and deceptions; from the sun-drenched Queensland coast, to the silent outback; Angela and Ellie are two women both looking for something. One in search of her identity and her memory; the other in search of the love that she had and lost; theirs is a duet whose last note will not be sung until the heart-stopping climax, when a shadow from the past returns to claim them both.

Dust of the Land

There was only one way she could guarantee her future ... and she knew that she would take it. Bella Tucker has come a long way. Born illegitimate and banished to the London slums by her vindictive stepmother, at six Bella is rescued by her grandfather and brought up as a member of the aristocratic Richmond family. Her future seems assured when she falls passionately in love with Charles Hardy, heir to the wealthy Hardy estate – until her grandfather’s death changes everything...

Wild Lavender

Simone Fleurier is wrenched from her home on a Provencal lavender farm at the age of 14 after the accidental death of her father. Forced to become a maid at the boarding house of her Aunt Augustine in Marseilles, Simone's life is hard and impoverished. But one of her aunt's boarders, the beautiful Camille Casal, a star at the local music hall, gives Simone a dream: that one day she too will be a famous singer and dancer.

In Falling Snow: A Novel

Iris Crane's tranquil life is shattered when a letter summons memories from her bittersweet past: her first love, her best friend, and the tragedy that changed everything. Iris, a young Australian nurse, travels to France during World War I to bring home her 15-year-old brother, who ran away to enlist. But in Paris she meets the charismatic Dr. Frances Ivens, who convinces Iris to help establish a field hospital in the old abbey at Royaumont, staffed entirely by women - a decision that will change her life.

Sapphire Skies

2000: The wreckage of a downed WWII fighter plane is discovered in the forests near Russia's Ukrainian border.The aircraft belonged to Natalya Azarova, ace pilot and pin-up girl for Soviet propaganda, but the question of her fate remains unanswered. Was she a German spy who faked her own death, as the Kremlin claims? Her lover, Valentin Orlov, now a highly-decorated general, refuses to believe it. Lily, a young Australian woman, has moved to Moscow to escape from tragedy.

The Downstairs Maid

She is a servant girl... When her father becomes ill, Emily Carter finds herself sent into service at Priorsfield Manor in order to provide the family with an income. He will be the Lord of the Manor... Emily strikes up an unlikely friendship with the daughters of the house, as well as Nicolas, son of the Earl. But as the threat of war comes ever closer, she becomes even more aware of the vast differences between upstairs and downstairs, servant and master...If you like Downton Abbey you’ll love this!

The Sound of Glass

It has been two years since the death of Merritt Heyward's husband, Cal, when she receives unexpected news - Cal's family home in Beaufort, South Carolina, bequeathed by Cal's reclusive grandmother, now belongs to Merritt. Charting the course of an uncertain life - and feeling guilt from her husband's tragic death - Merritt travels from her home in Maine to Beaufort, where the secrets of Cal's unspoken-of past reside among the pluff mud and jasmine of the ancestral Heyward home on the Bluff.

A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London's Flower Sellers

1876. Among the filth and depravity of Covent Garden's flower markets, orphaned Irish sisters Flora and Rosie Flynn sell posies of violets and watercress to survive. It is a pitiful existence, made bearable only by each other's presence. When they become separated, the decision of a desperate woman sets their lives on very different paths.

Secrets of a Charmed Life

Current day, Oxford, England. Young American scholar Kendra Van Zant, eager to pursue her vision of a perfect life, interviews Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets about the war that she has kept for decades...beginning with who she really is. What Kendra receives from Isabel is both a gift and a burden--one that will test her convictions and her heart.

The Letter

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A Desperate Fortune

For nearly 300 years, the cryptic journal of Mary Dundas has kept its secrets. Now, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas travels to Paris to crack the cipher.... Jacobite exile Mary Dundas is filled with longing - for freedom, for adventure, for the family she lost. When fate opens the door, Mary dares to set her foot on a path far more surprising and dangerous than she ever could have dreamed.

Tuscan Rose

A mysterious stranger known as 'The Wolf' leaves an infant with the sisters of Santo Spirito. A tiny silver key hidden in her wrappings is the only clue to the child's identity and so begins a story as intriguing and beautiful as the city of Florence itself. Belinda Alexandra's new novel, Tuscan Rose, is set in Italy during the time of Mussolini. This richly woven tale of passion, love, longing, witchcraft and magic promises to be everything her readers love and more.

Wildflower Hill

In 1920s Glasgow, Beattie Blaxland falls pregnant to her married lover Henry just before her nineteenth birthday. Abandoned by her family, Beattie and Henry set sail for a new life in Australia. In 2009, London, prima ballerina Lydia Blaxland-Hunter is also discovering that life can also have its ups and downs. Unable to dance again after a fall, Lydia returns home to Australia to recuperate.

Silver Wattle

In fear for their lives after the sudden death of their mother, Adéla and Klára must flee Prague to find refuge with their uncle in Australia. Later, Adéla becomes a film director at a time when the local industry is starting to feel the competition from Hollywood. But even while success is imminent, the issues of family and an impossible love are never far away.

Letters to the Lost

Late on a frozen February evening, a young woman is running through the streets of London. Having fled from her abusive boyfriend and with nowhere to go, Jess stumbles onto a forgotten lane where a small, clearly unlived-in old house offers her best chance of shelter for the night. The next morning a mysterious letter arrives - and when she can't help but open it, she finds herself drawn inexorably into the story of two lovers from another time.

Seven Sisters

Maia D'Apliése and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, Atlantis - a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva - having been told that their beloved father, the elusive billionaire they call Pa Salt, has died. Maia and her sisters were all adopted by him as babies, and, discovering he has already been buried at sea, each of them is handed a tantalizing clue to their true heritage - a clue that takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Once there she begins to put together the pieces of where her story began.

The Winter Rose

It has been 12 years since a dark, murderous figure stalked the alleys and courts of Whitechapel. And yet, in the summer of 1900, East London is still poor, still brutal, still a shadow city to its western twin. Among the reformers is an idealistic young woman named India Selwyn-Jones, recently graduated from medical school. With the help of her influential fiance - Freddie Lytton, an up-and-coming Liberal MP - she works to shut down the area's opium dens that destroy both body and soul.

Publisher's Summary

THE PRESENT - After her mother’s death, Emilie de la Martiniéres finds herself the sole inheritor of a chateau in the south of France. There she discovers an old notebook which leads her along a journey to unravel the tragic love story of the mysterious Sophia.

THE PAST (1943). Constance Carruthers, arrives in occupied Paris at the height of conflict. There she stumbles into the heart of a wealthy family and is drawn into a web of deception, the repercussions of which will affect generations to come.

Emilie annoyed me at first but I loved her by the end. The dual story lines were excellent. I especially enjoyed the WW2 story line with the female SOE agent, Constance, behind enemy lines in France. The reader can't help but adore Constance and her bravery. The story had a great deal of twists and turns and it kept me guessing to the end. Many parts of the story were sad but that fit perfectly with the time period and subject matter. I enjoy Lucinda Riley's style of writing and look forward to more. Gerri Halligan delivers and excellent performance of this story.

Retired CFO, Army wife, Mom of five, Grandma of six, two sons who served in combat, love to read books that reflect my values and faith, love mysteries, historical, military stories, and books that don't waste my time . . . if it doesn't have an ending that was worth the wait, I'm not a happy camper.

Story of France and England during WWII, what Hitler did to the GERMAN people, who were beat down and defeated by life, and in the frame of mind to accept the lies being fed to them by a tyrannical leader. (Good lesson for all of us.) This book is a broad story of the war and how it impacted the French, English, and German people, but also a personal story of love, pain and perseverance spanning the generations. Listening to this story was humbling. The sacrifices made by citizens during WWII should NEVER be forgotten. One of the best books I have ever come across.

This is one of the best books I have listened to in some time. I originally bought the Kindle book which was titled 'The Lavender Garden' and as it was available on audible with whispersync at a reduced price I decided to listen to it. I was a bit confused when I first downloaded the audible book as the title was different from the Kindle version however, I found it made no difference what the title. The book is wonderful and the narrator is perfect, what a wonderful surprise to find such a treasure. I loved everything about this book and I will look for more by this writer and narrator.

I'm an avid audiobook lover, who listens to several each month. Lately, I'm having a hard time getting engrossed in a book - they just don't hold my interest, and I find myself deleting it 3/4 of the way through because I'm bored. I am a huge fan of Kate Morton, Belinda Alexandra, Kimberely Freeman, Jojo Moyes, Liane Moriarty, JH Fletcher, Susanna Kearsley and other authors who love to write deep, complicated storylines that involve intricate family dynamics, genealogy, old diaries/letters, etc. etc. But I've listened to them all - and have grown bored. Then, all of a sudden, I came across Lucinda Riley. What a find! This was my first book by Riley, and it did not disappoint. She did a fantastic job of bridging the past and the present. Her character development is superb, and her ability to create suspense and drama is excellent. It was the perfect mix of history and romance -- not too much of one or the other. I listened to this almost all the way through, and finally had a book that held me captivated to the very last word. I can't say enough about this book, and I look forward to downloading her others. The narrator was terrific, and did an incredible job with the character voices and accents. The only thing that didn't sit well with me and niggled a bit were the poems by "Sophia" that were recited. Sophia was French, and presumably wrote her poems in French, and yet they rhymed perfectly in English. Just one of those things that was like a puzzle piece out of place, but certainly didn't distract at all from the story. If you like historical romances with a bit of mystery and family drama mixed in, or if you're a fan of WWII historical romances, I highly recommend!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Light Behind the Window to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

The history of WWII in France. The characters made those terrible years come alive.

What about Gerri Halligan’s performance did you like?

I liked her French accent. It made the story real.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Brother Opposites - Present and Past

Any additional comments?

I liked the author's ability to move from past to present, present to past with ease, and the interesting stories of two brothers with opposite personalities, one set of brothers in the past and one in the present.

Having enjoyed Lucinda Riley's Hothouse Flowers I was looking forward to this book. Overall I wasn't disappointed, it was an engaging story which compells you to complete it to the end to discover what happens to the characters. Her characters are all interesting and help weave the story as it moves smoothly between modern day and 1940 wartime France. The dialogue could be a little stilted in places, but it doesn't detract from what is overall a good book. However, I didn't particularly enjoy the narration as I felt it detracted something plausible from the characters - this is just my personal opinion though, and it is still worth listening too.

As others have said, I agreed the start was quite slow, but the complex story rand excellent writing reward those who persist. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, give this one s try. Also narrator is superb!

I must congratulate Lucinda Riley on this very compelling "listen" - this is a superb story that weaves its way through two time frames very effectively. I am usually not keen on dual timelines but here I make exception - I marvelled at the lengths Lucinda has gone to in depicting some very palpable scenarios - the two times frames could have been separate books themselves - so brilliantly written that it made me forget one "story" whilst listening to the other! This really was a book I didn't want to stop listening to and I started to feel disappointed when it was obviously nearing conclusion. True, I found some of it predictable - but it was a thrilling, emotional and enjoyable read throughout. Special mention must be given to Gerri Halligan who narrated it brilliantly - and made the characters believable. I thoroughly recommend this compelling listen - I have now listened to all Lucinda's books on Audible and can't wait for her next one to be published. A truly enjoyable author (and narrator).

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

MRS.

TENTERDEN, United Kingdom

7/8/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"The Light Behind the Window"

Would you listen to The Light Behind the Window again? Why?

No because there is a mystery to be unravelled and I now know the answer to it.

What did you like best about this story?

The characterisation, especially the sympathetic insight into the main character Emily.The vivid description of the various settings.The tense atmosphere of the two main stories.The twist at the end. You think that you know it all but you don't !

What about Gerri Halligan’s performance did you like?

Mostly her voices of the characters. She is also easy to listen to.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It's good to break it up into the separate time periods.

Any additional comments?

I like this author and look forward to her future books.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Jenny

8/22/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Heartwarming saga stretching across the years"

If you could sum up The Light Behind the Window in three words, what would they be?

Touched the heart!

What did you like best about this story?

The story was brought to life by a very talented narrator who gave credence to all the characters. As the story moved easily from one era to another the reader was able to feel all the emotions of the characters in the different times. The war years in particular were very poignant. I wonder if we had been living in that time we could have been so selfless for our country. I hope I could have!

Which character – as performed by Gerri Halligan – was your favourite?

Constance was my favourite.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were many moments that moved me but I think the moment at the end when Frederick was able to see his grandson moved me the most.

Any additional comments?

This is the first book I have read by Lucinda Riley and it wont be the last!Also the narrator, Gerry Halligan is my favourite. Her voice is pleasing on the ear and she brings all her talent to every book she narrates.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Kathy

Cornwall

12/8/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"A good easy listen"

Would you consider the audio edition of The Light Behind the Window to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the book in print but would imagine the audio is better as the reader was very competent.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Venetia, a real heroine and Alex, he seemed to be pretty genuine. I had sussed his brother for a scoundrel at the first meeting.

What does Gerri Halligan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Expression and inflection is good. I find it hard to characterise whilst reading. Also the accent is good.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was sad to lose both venietia and James, both heroic characters and symbolic of the bravery shown by ordinary people in wartime.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

laura

wisbech, United Kingdom

12/1/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"An Excellent Book!"

Would you consider the audio edition of The Light Behind the Window to be better than the print version?

The narrators voice is interesting and also sympathetic to the story which definitely helps to draw you into the plot. Her voices and accents are good for the different characters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Light Behind the Window?

There are many memorable moments in this stunning story of love, war, brutality and the strength of the human spirit in times of crisis. Each time you return to the past and to the wartime struggles of occupied France, you could almost be there.

Any additional comments?

The plot and characters in this book are exceptional. Although to begin with the modern day Emilie is quite irritating, she becomes stronger throughout the book, and the way she deals with her husband - later in the book is very refreshing!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Aretè

Lancaster, UK

3/11/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Beautiful! Poetic, Moving"

A beautiful story, within a story, Played between the dramatic setting of the wuthering Yorkshire moors, the rent and tortured Paris of the Vichy Republic, and the idyllic, sunny landscape of the French Bourgogne.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ms

Norwich, United Kingdom

1/29/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Gripping moving story"

It was beautifully read her accents were perfect she has the most gorgeous voice to listen to. the story is charming ups and downs beautifully happy in the end it relaxeed me to read the story. It pulled you into france and to the vineyards ichateau you could see all the people this story.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Gillian

Basildon, United Kingdom

1/22/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"I enjoyed every minute"

If you could sum up The Light Behind the Window in three words, what would they be?

Compelling, Sad, Believable

What did you like best about this story?

The interweaving of the stories, the lives and the periods in time.

Which character – as performed by Gerri Halligan – was your favourite?

Too hard to call. She is excellent in her oratory and made for very pleasant and enjoyable listening.....even in the very sad and harrowing parts of the story.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I could have, I would have!

Any additional comments?

A truly entertaining and interesting story with twists and unexpected ends to plots. I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who wants a good read.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Anon

1/16/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Most enjoyable"

Most enjoyableWould recommend it to a friendLight but intriguingPerfect for a relaxing listenPast well mingled with present day.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A.G.Raynor-Krill

Lincoln, United Kingdom

1/8/15

Overall

"Another absorbing story"

If you like a really good story that holds your interest along with good flesh outed characters then read Lucinda Riley books - she never disappoints!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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